Charged With Shoplifting Or Theft?

In most cases, a shop owner will wait until the shoplifter has exited the front door before approaching them. Doing this proves that the shoplifter had the intent to steal and went through with the act of stealing. If convicted, shoplifting charges have significant negative consequences. It’s considered a crime of dishonesty that comes with a permanent arrest record that employers or anyone will always see when they run a background check on you. Such a record will keep you from securing job opportunities and achieving the goals you’ve set out for yourself.

 How Shoplifting Charges Arise

Shoplifting involves a wide range of actions where a person takes item(s) without paying for them. It’s a common offense and a relatively minor crime, all things considered. It’s from this point of reasoning that many defendants are in a rush to plead guilty just to get over with the humiliation of the experience. However, besides retaining a criminal record, once you’re convicted for the first time, the penalties for subsequent offenses can increase exponentially. Depending on what you’ve stolen, shoplifting charges can be either a misdemeanor or a felony.

A jail term is a possibility for any level of theft crime conviction. Even misdemeanor shoplifting could mean up to ninety days behind bars. Facing hefty fines may also apply as well as civil liability to the retailer. It all really depends on how the judge is feeling that day.  He or she might see you as no threat to society, or they might look at you in a poor light for what you've done and try to maximize your penalty for this misdemeanor offense. Things can literally go either way, so showing up to court without legal representation is not a wise move. Most will consider the crime not worth the investment of an attorney, and sometimes they regret that decision greatly.

​Leaving The Store Without Being Caught

Even if you manage to shoplift and leave the store unnoticed, you can still be arrested. If the business reviews security footage showing you as the culprit when theft took place, they can call in the authorities. Once adequate evidence has been garnered, the police will take action. The most likely scenario of you being caught is entering the establishment again, since they will know what you look like, but even if you never enter the store again there are other methods that can be used to apprehend you for your theft.

Do You Need a Lawyer for a Shoplifting Charge?

Once you’ve been arrested for shoplifting, it’s important that you call a criminal defense attorney. These professionals have handled a myriad of cases and are able to strategically negotiate a favorable outcome even for the most complicated situations. They’ll challenge a shoplifting charge and argue a lack of probable grounds for detaining or searching your bags. They have the knowhow to suppress contrary information, preserve favorable evidence, and use their skills and comprehension to get the best out of every case they handle.